The Sweetest Poison
by Princess of Rose
Summary: You may not know it, but vampires walk this world, sucking down poison with ivory fangs, cutting throats to ribbons... And what can a mere half-human do about it?
1. Peacekeeper

So after reading Vampire Knight I decided to try this. _Tentatively_. I don't know if it will get up off the ground. To be honest, I haven't even seen a good KH vamp fic on here. I hope I do it right. I also borrowed some concepts from VK too, like the blood tablets and the uniforms. But everything else was all me. Methinks.

Rated T for blood, language, and some suggestive themes (?).

Pairings: AkuDemy (friendship), Axel/Larxene, probably more.

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts.**

I.  
Peacekeeper

"It's time to wake up, asshat," came the voice, entirely too loud.

Demyx groaned and rolled over, stuffing the pillow over his face. "Shut up," he moaned, pulling the blanket tighter around himself as Axel tried to drag it off him.

"We're going to be late."

"Since when did you care?"

"Since you're going to get Saturday detention along with your ten million supplementary classes."

Demyx sighed and obliged, sitting up and staring dazedly at his roommate.

Despite being here longer, Axel still acted like Demyx was younger than him, like he was his responsibility. Sometimes, the blonde was glad he had Axel to back him up, but most of the time it was just plain annoying.

"How do you do it?" The redhead asked him.

"Do what?"

"Sleep that long. Doesn't it get boring?"

Demyx raised his eyebrow.

"Right. 'It's normal,'" Axel mimicked his voice. "You freaking halfie."

"I'm sorry." Demyx yanked on his pants.

"Here," Axel said in a softer, almost concerned voice. Demyx looked up, surprised, to see him offering him a glass. "You look bad."

"I was out until only a few hours ago." He pushed back the glass Axel was offering him.

Axel gave him a look. "I know you're half human and all, but you need this. All vampires do."

Demyx buttoned his jacket tightly. "I'm not a vampire."

Axel groaned. "Here we go again."

Demyx stared at him, his eyes black-ringed. "Listen, if it was you…"

"If it was me I'd put on my big boy panties and deal with it," Axel said, setting the glass on top of his desk and tracing his finger over it. "I didn't poison it, if that's what you're thinking. So just drink."

Axel saw his hesitated, eyes flickering to the glass where you could see the small tablet dissolving. Finally, thirst won out, and the blonde downed the glass.

"It's like I'm trying to get an anorexic to eat," Axel muttered. "See? You look better already."

Demyx smiled sarcastically and fixed his tie. "Yeah, whatever. Are you ready to go?"

* * *

_Okay, okay. I know this is confusing._

_My name is Demyx Kawa. I'm a member of the Thirteenth Order, which is basically this stuck-up academy for rich kids._

_Clarification- I'm not rich. If it weren't for the fact that I'm the headmaster's charity pupil, I would probably be on the streets somewhere, or maybe in a nice trailer park. Who knows?_

_Oh yeah- here's another nice little tidbit._

_I'm a half-vampire._

_Whoever said that vampires are supposedly these really evil, feral creatures can go dree their weird. Because really, if you said that to a vampire you'd be dead in seconds._

_Aren't most humans also that way? Sure, they're not as strong and maybe not even as smart. But they're just as evil._

_Me? I fall into a third category._

_My mother was a pureblood vampire. She met my dad, they fell in love, and they had me. After that tryst, she bit him. _Uh, ma, couldn't you have bitten him **before** you screwed him_?_

_Yup. That's my existence summed up in just a few sentences._

_Oh yeah, and then they had to go and die._

_I don't remember it, not really. Vampire hunters came and killed them. They were going to kill me, considering they didn't know _what_ I was, but one of them cut me some slack and brought me here._

_There aren't many differences between vampires and humans, so there aren't many differences between them and me. My skin is a little less pale, sure. My heart beats faster. I'm a little weaker. The sun doesn't weaken me._

_It still sucks, though, being one of a kind._

_If it weren't for stupid Ms. Holland, I wouldn't even be writing this thing. She doesn't care about our thoughts. She just really wants to go to the teachers lounge and binge on coffee and blood tablets._

_Over and out._

* * *

The two roommates walked in silence for a few moments. Axel suddenly stopped and sniffed the air. "Do you smell that?"

Demyx inhaled, too. "Yeah. I thought the humans were all in class."

"Me too, but I guess not." Axel stiffened.

Demyx blinked. "Axel? What is it?"

"Someone's bleeding," he said in a slightly dreamy tone of voice.

"No. Axel, listen to me. Calm down. Don't breathe. Listen… I have to…" He looked around for someone, anyone, but of course everyone else was probably around the blood already. Demyx began to panic when he suddenly saw Zexion, carrying a stack of books. "Zexion! Zexion!"

The younger student stared at him, all but restraining Axel. "What is it?" He didn't use cold words, but you could almost hear Zexion's superiority. According to him, Demyx just wasn't worthy of his respect, even though he was the only one who was able to keep the humans in the school and the vampires in the school from spiraling into chaos. It probably had something to do with his human blood and lack of nobility.

These sorts of things happen to you when you're born a halfie.

"Zexion, listen. I need you to stay here with Axel. There's a human on our side."

Zexion cocked his head. "Why should I? It's just a human."

"Because the universe will collapse if you don't! Kaythanksbye!" He let go of Axel and took off.

Zexion sighed. He was one of the few vampires who didn't like the smell of human blood. Had that been the metallic smell from before?

Axel was trying hard to control himself. The smaller boy put down his books and crawled onto the redhead's back, pinning him to the ground.

Meanwhile, Demyx tore through the woods, almost hysterically.

"What was she doing?" He hissed under his breath, barely dodging a branch that would have clawed his eye out. Most of the time, girls from the human class wandered over here, mostly to gawk at the vampire guys (most of which, despite Demyx not being gay, he had to admit were quite good-looking).

He ran into the clearing, and sure enough, a mass of white-coated students was circled around the girl. The scent of blood grew more intense, and Demyx took a deep breath to steady himself. It would make most vampires' thirst stronger, but it calmed him.

"What are you all doing here?" He asked in his most confident voice, so of course it fell flat.

Like a pack of wolves, everyone's head automatically whipped towards him, eerily silent.

"We smelled her," a very soft voice answered. "We had to come and see."

"Well you all need to get back to class," Demyx told them, but it was dead. He brandished his armband that marked him the one-and-only peacekeeper in the entire school. "There's nothing to see here."

He hoped he wouldn't have to fight. He really wasn't in the mood for this.

The crowd parted when he moved through them, but he could feel their hostility as they unwillingly obeyed.

Then, suddenly, a foot hit him in the back, and Demyx toppled over. There was a muffled shriek as someone clamped a hand over the girl's mouth. The person who had kicked him turned him over and faced him eye to eye. "We're sick of this bullshit," he hissed. "Can't even get a decent meal around here. We weren't going to kill her, we just wanted a little nibble."

"Blood drinking on the grounds is completely forbidden," Demyx replied, trying to fight his captor's grip, but it was solid. He was released but in another second, someone else had him pinned down, this time a female.

"I wonder how this armband will look when I squeeze it around your neck, freak," she threatened. "I bet your blood won't even taste good. Of all the people they picked… they had to pick you."

"It's because he's human and a vampire, y'know?" Came the familiar, too dumb voice.

"I know, Rai!" She snapped. "I was being hypothetical!"

"You're ruining the moment, Larxene," Demyx's first captor, Seifer, said.

"Right. Anyway, where were we? Oh, I remember now, about to strangle the life out of you…" she smiled, and Demyx struggled to move his arm, despite the fear she made him feel. If only he could get his hand into his pocket…

"Larxene, release him now," came a deep voice from somewhere behind him.

She swore but obliged. Demyx sat up and looked through the small crowd to see Zexion standing with Saïx, the vampire deputy headmaster.

"Where's Axel?" Demyx asked Zexion. "You left him behind?"

"I brought him to Headmaster Xemnas first."

"Let go of the girl," Saïx continued, staring at Rai, who had a dark-haired girl in a chokehold. "You are a shame to vampires, all of you."

Demyx stood up slowly. "Thank you for helping me, Saïx," he said.

"If it weren't for your tardiness, you needn't be thanking me," he said coldly. "All of you, back to class. Demyx, take Xion to the infirmary. Zexion, go along with them lest Demyx forget his way."

Demyx felt hurt and grit his teeth. He'd been doing this job for three years, hadn't he? Hadn't he done a good job until now?

Xion, trembling, fainted before Demyx could so much as get near her. He saw the bite mark on her neck and realized that the reason she was bleeding was because they bit her.

"Pitiful, all of you," Saïx continued, seeing what Demyx saw. "I will speak to the headmaster about this."

The gang members cleared out gradually. Demyx undid his necktie and fastened it around Xion's neck as a sort of bandage. He picked her up- she hardly weighed anything- and suddenly noticed a strange marking on her neck. "Saïx," he called, trying to get the deputy's attention. Either he was out of earshot already, or didn't care.

Demyx was always unsure how to address Saïx. 'Deputy headmaster' sounded stupid when said aloud, and 'lieutenant' didn't work either. Maybe 'professor' was the right way to go, but Saïx didn't teach. So Demyx always only used his name.

The blonde shook his head.

"They're getting rowdier," Zexion murmured, looking at Xion.

"I know."

"I'm going to have to erase her whole night's memory." All of the vampire students had a power, and memory was Zexion's.

"Is she a new student?" Demyx asked, wanting badly to change the subject. "I don't think I've ever seen her before."

"Yes, she just came here a few days ago. But stop beating the bush, Demyx," Zexion reprimanded. "What are you going to do?"

"Why me?"

Zexion sighed deeply. "Must we go through this again? You're human and vampire. Because of you, the students can coexist." Demyx could have recited this along with him. "Your existence is proof that humans and vampires can work together."

If so only in bed, Demyx sneered internally, and scolded himself for the thought. "But really, why not you, Zexion? You're so smart. Why not our headmaster? He's stronger than me. Or even Headmaster Ansem? This is their school. Not mine. I'm not strong enough to beat them or smart enough to outwit them."

Zexion laughed once. "Oh really? Demyx, you have more brains than half of that gang put together."

"Rai, definitely. But not Larxene." He shook his head. "She may just seem like a bully, but I think she's really evil."

Zexion shrugged and opened a door for Demyx. "Either way, you have to think of a way to try and stop them. Or maybe," he looked down at Xion, who stirred slightly. "Someone will die."

* * *

So meh! It's over XD.

Here's a quick summary: Demyx is a half-vampire because his mother was a pureblood and his dad was human. Vampire hunters killed them, and the hunters found him and brought him to a school where humans and vamps existed in relative peace. Headmaster Ansem took him on as a pupil, and because of his unique nature, made him peacekeeper of the school.

The school's name is the Thirteenth Order. Yes, I know it sucks, but I didn't want to just steal 'Cross Academy.'

There are two headmasters to this school- one vampire, one human. Xemnas is the vampire, and he has just a little less power than Ansem (the Wise), who rules over anything. Saïx is like Xemnas's assistant principal.

Larxene, Seifer, Rai, and a few so far nameless others are in a gang that, apparently, are getting a little out of hand.

And Axel has problems with bloodlust XD.

Everyone in the story so far is a vampire, except for Xion. In fact, I think this was her first time ever in any of my story.

So! That much over, I'd just like to take another few minutes to say,

Please review, if so only to criticize (i.e. 'this is stupid' or 'get something more original'). Take note that the story will resemble Vampire Knight less as it continues. Flames are accepted, but not enjoyed. Axel will be very happy, though :D. This story will also suck less as it continues.

Oh yeah! Not to mention I made Aqua Demmy's English teacher. Her voice actress is Willa Holland. Instant last name ^^  
And, the person who spots the Terry Pratchett reference officially wins at life. Oh, and I can write you a drabble or something :/


	2. New Arrival

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Vampire Knight.**

II.

New Arrival

After Zexion said that, he and Demyx continued in silence through the dark halls. Xion was no longer unconscious- she was now deeply asleep, though.

"I wonder what Vexen's going to think," the blonde murmured.

"I'm sure he's seen much worse. Vexen may appear frazzled and stressed… and he is, but he can really pull through tough situations."

Demyx looked confused. Zexion hardly talked anymore than necessary. "Zexion… what's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said. Zexion liked reading a lot of plays- tragedies, more specifically. Demyx watched him sometimes in the dorm, shaking his head and smirking at the page. But he'd also learned to be a good actor from them.

Demyx knew he was lying, though. The two had known each other for so long. "Zexion, please, tell me."

The illusionist shook his head. "You'll find out about it soon enough, Demyx. Just please concentrate on what we're doing here."

"I'm carrying her to the infirmary. It's not that hard," Demyx almost snapped.

Naturally, because he was half-vampire, Demyx was a bit smarter than the average human, but he hated it when people talked down to him because of his kind.

Saïx must have warned Vexen of their arrival, because he was ready for them, standing at the door in his heavy white coat.

"This way," he said automatically, and the two teens followed him to a bed back towards the windows. Demyx set her down and Vexen unwrapped the necktie from around Xion's neck.

"I presume Xemnas told you all about it?" Zexion said.

"Yes, all I ever wanted to know and more." Vexen fixed his bright green eyes on Demyx. They always reminded the blonde of very strong chemicals because of their almost unnatural color. "How long has she been unconscious?"

"A little under ten minutes. She fell asleep not long after that, though."

"Good." Vexen gestured vaguely to some cabinets in the background. "Get me some gauze and disinfectant, Zexion." He touched the fang marks on her neck. "You're also going to have to wipe her memory. "Wait… what's this?" He brushed back the girl's collar, and in her sleep she shuddered at his cold touch.

"…I was wondering about that," Demyx murmured. "It looks familiar, but I can't name where."

Vexen turned to him, suddenly furious. "How can you not remember? You've lived on campus almost all your life! Why didn't you tell me about this as soon as you got in?"

"Because that was about thirty seconds ago!" The blonde defended.

"Vexen, leave him be. Most vampires these days are born into it. We never see these marks anymore," Zexion said, handing over what Vexen had asked him for. "It's my fault for not seeing it earlier and telling Saïx."

"Oh… well, yes, I suppose it is," he muttered, applying the disinfectant with a cotton ball. Xion couldn't feel the sting of alcohol- Vexen had a strange sort of power that could numb pain with a single touch. But as soon as Zexion took the blame, he was suddenly more laid back. In his eyes, the younger boy could do nothing wrong. According to Vexen, though, Demyx was _all_ wrong, down to his genes, though the scientist had tried to stress that he meant that in a _good_ way. Demyx was a good experiment.

Demyx had figured it out quickly, though. From what the others had said, he suddenly remembered what that mark meant. "She's going to be a vampire," he murmured, hand unconsciously going to his throat.

"Yes," Vexen said in a voice equally as low. "She'll adjust quick enough, though. They usually do. She might even like it."

What _wasn't_ there to like? Demyx thought. Beauty, intelligence, longer life. There was one eensy-weensy catch, though. You had to either drink blood or take blood tablets, and the first was illegal.

If someone had given Demyx a wish, any wish, it would to be a full vampire. Or at least a full human. He hated being a half-and-half.

Vexen wrapped the bandages around her neck. "Get me a box of blood tablets, Zexion. She'll need them eventually."

Zexion tossed over the box. "I'll be back in a little while. The headmaster wanted me to report in as soon as we got back."

"All right, off with you." He gestured out the door. Demyx turned to leave as well, but Vexen cut him off. "Not you."

Demyx swore under his breath. Vexen often asked him questions, about how he felt, when he had to take blood tablets, how deeply he slept, and things that were even more embarrassing and involved. There had been a short time where Vexen was seriously convinced that Demyx wasn't developed enough sexually. Yeah. It hadn't been a fun time for the blonde.

"You forgot this," Vexen said instead, throwing him his tie. "You might want to bleach it. To get the smell out, I mean."

"Oh, okay." Demyx hoped he didn't sound as relieved as he felt. He turned to leave a second time.

However, Vexen wasn't having that. "Wait. How do you feel?"

* * *

Almost an hour later, Demyx was dozing off by Xion's bedside. The girl looked comfortable, curled under various blankets and completely asleep, not aware of her species change yet. The only reason that he was waiting was that he'd gotten a call from Zexion saying that Xemnas wanted him to ask her a few questions about what happened and who had bitten her, because as far as the school knew, none of the vampire students were purebloods, so none of them were venomous. He also wanted Demyx to break the news to Xion- who better than him? Not to mention, Xemnas was sending her sister over to hear it as well. Great.

The only reason Demyx stayed was because he really hated Trig, and that's what he had right then. Vexen had called his teacher and everything.

Right then, Zexion came in with a girl tailing behind him. She was taller, and dressed in the black uniform that signified her humanity. Demyx saw the resemblance between the two sisters right away- the only difference was that this girl's hair had a less spiked look, and her face was rounder, friendlier.

Demyx had seen her before; she had snuck onto the vampire's grounds a bunch of times. He just couldn't remember her name, not without her signature headband.

"Hi!" She greeted, eyes wide and full of energy. "It's weird. I'm used to seeing you in the dark, threatening to give me detention."

"Sorry for waking you, um…" Vexen trailed off.

"Yuffie!" The girl provided automatically. "And it was no biggie, really!"

"Even though it's almost midnight?" Zexion asked, raising an eyebrow.

She waved a hand at him. "Usually I'm still up, practicing in the dojo anyway." She said all this very quickly, and only then did she look at her sister. Concern crossed her face uncharacteristically. "…How is she?" She sat down next to Demyx. "I'm sorry, I know _you_, but I just keep forgetting your name."

"Demyx," he offered.

She shook his hand jerkily, and then took Xion's. "I keep telling her not to go out at night."

Demyx couldn't help himself. "But you do all the time."

Yuffie grimaced. "Yeah, but _I_ know how to defend myself. All she wants to do is gape at the vampires." Her eyes fell on the bandage around Xion's neck, and she shook her sister's shoulder a little. "Xi, wake up."

Xion blinked groggily and smiled. "Hi, Yuffie. I was waiting for you."

"How you feeling?"

"_Tired_. And my head hurts."

Zexion looked away guiltily.

Xion squinted and looked at Demyx. "Hey, you're that guy… the halfie …" she strained to sit up, and a pale hand flitted to her throat. "Ugh. I'm thirsty."

Vexen looked at Demyx, giving him a silent cue.

"Look, Xion," he began pathetically, and settled on an impulse. "Do you want some water?" He offered the glass on the nightstand.

She looked confused. "That would help." She took the glass and took a long drink, but quickly spit it out, coughing and sputtering. Yuffie rubbed her back and gave them all a glare.

"What you do to it? Did you vampire freaks poison it?" She asked, automatically on the offensive.

"No. It's just water," Demyx assured her.

Yuffie snatched the glass and took a sip. "…You're right…" She glared harder at Vexen, and Xion, who had stopped coughing so much, looked up. "What did you do to my sister?"

"…She was bitten," Zexion said quietly.

"I don't understand. Who bit her?"

"A vampire," Demyx stated. "Like Vexen and Zexion."

"But vampire bites aren't venomous," she whispered, half furious, half confused.

"The vampire genes are mostly hereditary," Vexen informed her. "Like in Demyx. He's half human, half vampire. But sometimes, when a vampire's blood is absent of any human DNA, they are venomous, and by biting a human, can turn them into a vampire."

"You mean my little sister's a vampire?" Yuffie asked incredulously.

"She will be one in a few weeks," Zexion said.

She laughed a little dryly and relaxed. "That's so cool. For her. She always wanted to be one."

"So you're okay with it?" Demyx asked, surprised by her sudden mood swing.

"Yeah, totally. She won't want to… bite me, will she?"

"Bloodlust is easy to manage on blood tablets," Vexen told her.

"I'm right here," Xion said, voice muffled by Yuffie's shoulder. She had been so silent that they'd forgotten she was there. She sat up from her sister. "So I'm turning into a monster?"

Demyx put his hand over hers and shook his head. "You're not a monster, Xion. You never will be. Vampires aren't monsters. Only the ones that want to kill humans are."

"But I'm thirsty."

"That's okay. It happens to everyone." However rare it was, Demyx liked it when humans were bitten. Right afterwards, when they were about as Changed as he was, he didn't feel so one-of-a-kind. "You'll be okay. Everyone'll help you out."

"I'm scared," she whispered.

"I know. It'll be okay." He smiled.

Xion looked to Vexen. "Can I please have something to drink?"

Zexion smiled and picked up the box of pills. "Okay, so it works like this…"

It took almost two hours to send Xion on her way, clinging to Zexion, who was taking her to transfer to the night class. While the Change happened over a few weeks, it would be best for her to be around other vampires.

Demyx leaned against the wall outside the infirmary, breathing the cold air that was always in these halls. He had a headache. Briefing Xion had taken a lot out of him, oddly enough. Not to mention, he'd had to grill her on what happened the night she was bitten. Unsurprisingly, she said it was all foggy. She'd known Larxene and Seifer's faces, but even though they had taken blood from them, neither were purebloods and couldn't Change a human. She didn't remember who'd bitten her, other than it had happened before the gang found her.

So then shouldn't the venom have been sucked out? He thought. Maybe the pureblood drank from the other side, the one with the mark? Ugh, he couldn't remember anything from Sociology… maybe paying attention might have helped.

"Hey," said a voice from behind him. Demyx looked up to see Yuffie, clutching her school bag. She sat next to him. "Thanks for helping my sister. It means a lot. She's not worried anymore. To her, it's not much of a change."

"Well, it is my job." For some bizarre reason, Demyx blushed.

Yuffie whistled. "My god, today she's a vampire. It's so sudden, you know? Even though this'll probably be better for her, I want to hunt down who did it to her and…" she crushed her fist against her palm and trailed off. "Well… anyway… are you okay?"

"I'm a bit tired," he told her. "It's a long day already, and it barely started."

Yuffie rolled her eyes. "Tell me about it, even though my day's over." She stood up. "Speaking of which… because it's past curfew, can you walk me back? Zexion brought me here."

"Scared you'll be bitten?" Demyx asked, his lame joke falling flat, but Yuffie laughed anyway.

"Heck no. I can send any vampire running for it." He waited for her to provide a reason, but she didn't.

A few days later, Zexion tracked down Demyx during his free period. The two were in different years, so they didn't often see each other during the night. "Xemnas wants you in his office," the younger boy said, toting a large stack of books.

"What for?"

"New student."

"That's what the welcoming committee is for."

Zexion looked at him, like, _just go_. "He says it's important."

"Okay, okay. I'm going. Happy?"

Zexion rolled his eyes.

As he walked to the headmaster's office, Demyx tied on his armband and groaned. "It has to be during free… it couldn't have been _any_ other time…"

But he was wondering what Xemnas had to tell him. Though the headmaster was his adoptive father and legal guardian since he had been orphaned, Demyx wasn't used to speaking to him as anything other than a headmaster. Xemnas was plenty kind to him, and encouraged them to be friends, but it felt strange, him calling Xemnas out of class.

There had to be another reason. A new student was a new student. The dorm presidents would help them out. Demyx's job was to make sure that the human and vampire classes didn't mix on anything more than a social level, not to show some newbie around… it had to have been something Xemnas told Zexion to get him out of there, but why did the scholar, who was so much smarter than Demyx, believe him?

He knocked once on the door. "Come in," came a deep voice.

Demyx opened the door. "What do you need, headmaster?"

Xemnas's tone was friendly. "You've been my legal son for more than ten years, Demyx. I think you can call me by my first name."

"It's a force of habit," the blonde said, feeling awkward and uncomfortable. "But what is it that couldn't have waited for dinner?"

"We _do_ have a new student, but he's unlike the others," the headmaster said, gesturing to a chair Demyx hadn't noticed before. Sitting in it was a young boy, about the same age as Xion, in the vampire's uniform and staring at both of them blankly. "His parents were pursued by vampire hunters, much like yours. In fact, I'll see you two have a lot in common."

"…Is this a sort of test?" Demyx whispered, feeling that 'joke' might offend the poor boy, if he was listening.

Xemnas shook his head. "The boy's parents were killed by hunters. Ansem found him and brought him here. He's lost all his memories of before."

"So how are we alike?"

"See," Xemnas said, more uncomfortable now, "he'll be joining you on the disciplinary committee."

"But why him? Why not any of the other human or vampire kids… oh…" Demyx gasped, realizing what Xemnas was saying. "So… he's…"

"He's a half-vampire, Demyx," Xemnas told him warmly. "Just like you."

"Well this is a first," the blonde began, feeling slightly dizzy. He sat on the edge of Xemnas's desk. "I thought I was the only one. Aren't human-vampire relationships illegal?"

"They're not illegal, just not recommended. I believe that was the reason why your parents and his were killed, though." Xemnas sighed. "This is not going to sound… kind. But while our school finds your kind a treasure, most of society doesn't."

"No way!" Demyx snapped sarcastically. "I had no idea!"

Xemnas stared at him. "Anyway… the boy forgot his name. He looks a lot like one of the human students, Sora Hikari… so I anagrammed it," Xemnas admitted guiltily. "His name is Roxas."

At the sound of his name the boy in the chair looked over. His eyes weren't so unaware, Demyx thought, than they were unsure. He just didn't know anything. He wasn't stupid.

"Roxas, this is Demyx. You two will be together a lot from now on," Xemnas told him in a slow voice.

"Dem…yx," Roxas said slowly.

"Yes." The headmaster nodded.

"Hello, Roxas," Demyx said, trying to smile.

Roxas stuttered, "hello."

"His vocabulary is building quickly," Xemnas whispered in the blonde's ear. "Only last night he couldn't speak at all, and already he's stringing together sentences."

I could have gotten any other person, Demyx thought almost sourly. _Anyone_ else. And it has to be the middle schooler who can barely speak.

However, he quickly stopped that thought. He'd been hoping since he was little for someone like him, and just as he'd given up on those hopes, here came a half-vampire.

He hoped they could be friends. Demyx had Axel and Zexion, but he couldn't help but feel lonely.

"Why don't you take the rest of the day off to get to know him?" Xemnas offered.

"Well… I've been missing so many classes lately, head… er, Xemnas."

"I think this is a bit more important than that," the headmaster said. "Just show him around. Maybe he'll open up to you."

Yes, Demyx felt like saying, and maybe I'll give birth to a litter of flying kittens.

But instead he heard himself say, "…Alright."

* * *

Thank you _**heartless-lover12, Shattered Glass Memories,**_ and my friend Anna for leaving a review last chapter.  
Next update: October 23


	3. Transfer

Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts.

III.

Transfer

Throughout the whole tour, Roxas didn't say much. He didn't ask questions.

To prepare him for the job of school guardian, Xemnas made Demyx join the school welcoming committee when he started middle school. The blonde was used to showing students around, despite the fact that he hadn't done so in a while.

However, normally students were curious, wondering how they could get from place to place on such a large campus, the humans, especially.

The two schools shared the same name, and looked relatively the same, but were completely different in atmospheres. The vampires were quieter, more… not smart, but more mature in some ways. They could also be cold, almost inhuman creatures, even the teenagers. Humans were louder, warmer, and there were just more of them. The campuses were joined at the center, where a wall kept the two apart, supposedly. The only way to cross over would to be through a gate, though no one used it and people mostly relied on Demyx to keep the two schools in their places.

Roxas looked around curiously, his eyes less blank then they had been in Xemnas's office, but he didn't seem able to grasp words.

At around one in the morning, the two stopped for lunch. Demyx didn't bring him to the cafeteria- Roxas wasn't ready.

"Have you ever been to school before?" Demyx asked. He'd been only six when his parents were killed, and though his mother had tried to teach him, Demyx hadn't really learned much. When Xemnas took him in, Demyx was home schooled until he was old enough to join the kids in junior high. All his life, the blonde noted, he'd been carefully protected. When he was about four, the vampire world discovered somehow his strange nature… and they hadn't liked it. Xemnas had told him this often when he was younger. But then, as the centuries-long feud between vampires and humans came to an absolute boiling point, Demyx, the first half-vampire, was what stopped them from all-out war.

He was the proof that humans and vampires could come together in something other than war. He was the key to peace, or so Xemnas said.

"So what do I have to do?" He'd asked, looking up at his adopted father questionably.

"Nothing. You keep the peace simply by existing," the headmaster had said kindly.

Demyx snapped back to reality and the younger, other halfie sitting beside him.

"School," Roxas repeated. Demyx could almost see his thought process- school equals people, noise, and –maybe- learning. "No. I haven't."

"Oh. You thirsty?" Demyx held the small box of blood tablets out to Roxas, wondering if the younger boy even knew what they were.

Roxas took one out of the box, sniffed it, and put it back.

"Xemnas packed us lunch," he tried again, holding out a sandwich.

Roxas examined this one, too, but this time he took a bite.

"Okay… so you like that."

They both ate in silence for a while.

"What do you think of the school so far?" Demyx asked, more out of habit than anything.

"It's… nice." Roxas seemed a little aggravated at himself for not being able to have a more articulate response.

"I think you'll like it here. The kids are pretty nice." He stood up. "Are you finished eating? We should head back to the Headmaster's now."

Roxas nodded and followed Demyx back through the winding corridors. The older blonde knocked once, careful to wait a second to open the door.

"Come in," came Xemnas's voice. "You're back already?"

"Yeah," Demyx said. "You think you can find your way around when you start classes, Roxas?"

He could see Roxas struggle to understand the words. "…I think so."

"So… I guess we're done for the day, right?" Demyx asked. "Should I… bring him to his room? Who's his roommate?"

"I'm not giving him one yet. He's going to stay in the spare apartment for now."

"Oh… Okay." Demyx knew where that was. "Come on, Roxas."

Demyx led him down the hall to the spare bedroom. It had been Demyx's room before he had been old enough to go to the middle school. Now, however, the little room was blank, devoid of all his old possessions. Roxas looked around, pressing on the bed with his hand.

"The bathroom's right through there," the older blonde told him. "If you need anything, find Xemnas. I have to go now, but I'll see you tomorrow. Okay?"

"O…kay." Roxas nodded.

Demyx turned to leave.

"Dem…yx," the words were uncertain, but not shaky. "Thank you."

He had to do a double take. "You're… welcome."

* * *

The next day, the halls were buzzing as Demyx and Zexion tried to force their way to class. Demyx had heard there was a new vampire student, a rarity, but he hadn't listened to Xemnas when the Headmaster filled him in. It had been a long day.

"Pureblood?"

"What's his name?"

"Where is he from?"

"I've never had a mind for gossip," Zexion said from behind him.

"I wonder who they mean? Xemnas told me about him yesterday… but I don't think he mentioned any names."

"He did seem preoccupied yesterday when I went to see him… he was talking to Headmaster Ansem on the phone about something." He shook his head. "I didn't hear anything specific."

"This week just keeps getting busier and busier," Demyx mused.

"I think the new kid is in your year," Zexion told him. "That's what I heard. Anyway, this is my class."

"See you at lunch."

Demyx arrive in his first class. He waved to Vivi, the nervous kid who always kept his face hidden.

Then, he saw what Zexion meant.

In the front row was a kid Demyx had never seen before. The blonde had been on the welcoming committee for a few years, in preparation for his job as school guardian. But still, new students didn't show up too much. He knew mostly everyone's faces.

The boy had spiky black hair and gold eyes. He looked up at Demyx, uninterested.

Just his general appearance skived the blonde the wrong way. He wasn't quite sure why, but there was just something… wrong about this kid. He radiated power and almost a sort of authority.

The boy's eyes were cold and almost emotionless. Demyx looked around quickly, trying to make sure he wasn't the only one who could see this boy.

_Well, this is weird_, he thought.

"Hello," the boy said, his tone perfectly cordial. He was younger than Demyx, by a year at least. Why isn't he with Zexion's class, then? Demyx wondered.

"Hi," Demyx said, trying to sound friendly when he was intimidated. "You're new here… right? What's your name?"

"I am Vanitas," the boy said. "I transferred here a few days ago."

Behind them, the class strained to listen, most of them having been too intimidated to speak to the boy themselves.

"And you are Demyx, the Headmaster's son," Vanitas continued. "I've heard a lot." He smiled without a hint of warmth. "See? I feel as if we're friends already."

Demyx forced himself to smile back. "Yeah. So where are you from?"

Vanitas looked down, but it wasn't out of nervousness. "You wouldn't know the name. It's far away from here."

Demyx sat down in his assigned seat, which was one across and one down from Vanitas's. Vanitas turned. "I heard you're a half-vampire. Is that true, if you don't mind my asking?"

Demyx felt a little taken aback, but he tried not to show it. "Yes, it's true."

Vanitas's glance tried to seem interested, but it was almost emotionless. "I find that amazing. It must be hard, being one of a kind."

"It's not really," Demyx lied, not wanting to spill his true thoughts to this boy, not one bit. "I feel just like any other vampire student."

"That's good." Vanitas smiled again.

Miss Holland, their English teacher, walked in then. She was young; this was only her second year teaching. She had strange, blue hair and an eccentric way of teaching. Despite the fact that he hated her subject, Demyx often liked her lessons, but today he was focused entirely on Vanitas, and the smirk that seemed glued to the boy's face.

* * *

"So it's freaking creepy," Demyx explained to Axel later in the day, as the two waited for Zexion to eat lunch. "He just… _smirked_. The whole class. He seemed nice, sure, but I just… have a bad feeling."

"I think you're just overreacting," Axel told him. "If he seems like a normal kid… well, then he probably is. He might be a bully, but then again, most of us are." He popped a tablet.

"I heard he's a pureblood." Demyx's voice dropped. "He asked me what it was like, being a half-vampire. And when I said it was just like being a regular vampire, he said 'that's good.' With this weird smile." He shook his head.

"What's his name again?" Axel asked.

"Vanitas."

Axel's eyes took on a glazed quality for a moment. Then he slammed his fist on the table, causing Demyx's water bottle to tip and spill all over the it. "I knew that name sounded familiar!"

"How?" Demyx was siphoning the water back into the bottle. He had a power, despite his humanity. Power over water.

"He's the minister's grandson," Axel hissed. "God, I thought those types of kids were raised with a tutor or whatever. And why did he pick this silly little mountain school, of all places?"

"It's not a 'silly mountain school,'" Demyx defended automatically.

"Right. This is your home." Axel shook his head. "Still, I can't believe it. Nobody really ever knew what he looked like, he was so well protected. Why doesn't he have a bodyguard or something?"

"So I take it you've heard?" Zexion smoothly added in, sitting beside Demyx. "Strange, but we are the aristocrats, after all."

Axel laughed. "You might be, Zexion, but you keep forgetting. Demyx and I? Charity cases."

Demyx half-smiled. "It's just so weird. Did you get a good look at that kid?"

"I have no classes with him, Demyx, but don't talk about Vanitas like that," Zexion advised. "He will rule our government one day."

"_That guy's going to be the minister_?"

Axel slapped him. "Demyx, shut up!"

"What do you find so objectionable about him, anyway?" Zexion asked. "This isn't like you."

"I've got a bad feeling," he repeated. "Just by watching the way he acts… I don't like him at all."

* * *

I'MSORRYI'MSORRYI'MSORRY

I know it's been months since I updated but I just kept forgetting and I thought the first two chapters sucked and and  
Anna: -slaps across the face- Shut up. No one cares.  
So, yeah. Sorry it's been... three months? I really hope the next update will be a bit sooner than May...  
And Vanitas makes his apperance. What do you think about that? I like Vanitas as a character in BBS, he's just so badass and utterly evil. He's a really well-developed antagonist, unlike the Org. member that we feel sorry for when we have to kill. (Why, Sora? D:)

Thank you _**luckless-is-me, Kurotorachan, **_anonymous reviewer **_h12_**, and Anna for reviewing last chapter.


	4. Opportunity

**Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts or Vampire Knight.**

IV.  
Opportunity

-Lost excerpts from Demyx's journal, undated-

_Imagine thirst. Imagine how it feels for all of your cells to cry out for moisture, how dry your throat gets, like salt and sand have coated it. Imagine pain, your esophagus burning, begging for just a drop. Imagine thirst so intense that it steals your breath away and makes it hurt, and slowly drains your body of strength._

_Then imagine not being able to drink. Water is considered illegal. Unethical. You'll die without it, but there's not much you can do, since society has ruled out drinking. _

_What would you do to quench that need? Kill, maybe? Go insane? Just try to ignore your thirst until the end?_

_Vampires had suffered for years until the blood tablet was created. The number of purebloods dropped. New vampires starved off altogether. They drank from each other, in the dark of night, but all it did was add fuel to the inferno._

_Sometimes, the pill doesn't work._

_Sometimes, the old habit can't be ignored._

_There's not much that can be done to help a vampire who the pills don't work on. They will waste. Wither. Turn into a gray husk._

_Sometimes, I can't ignore it anymore. The pills, they disappear like candies, make me feel still emptier._

_I am thirsty. I am so thirsty._

Someone help me.

* * *

Moonlight poked wearily through the curtains, signifying that the night was supposed to begin. Demyx whined and buried his face under the pillows. His day couldn't be long enough. He could never escape the feeling of exhaustion.

He dressed in the semidarkness, tried to eat something, kicked Axel awake, and went to find Roxas.

In the three weeks since the younger boy arrived, a sort of routine had been established. He was actually able to speak now, and mostly well, so Xemnas allowed him to join Demyx on patrol.

Patrol consisted of roving the school at any spare second, trying to catch any serious rule breaking on campus (i.e. blood drinking, fights, etc.), and mainly trying to keep the humans away from the vampires. The biggest problem had been fights, thank god, and even those were dealt with easily.

Demyx stretched and yawned. He couldn't help but think that something was going to happen soon.

He walked down to Xemnas's for news, as he did every night. He felt unnecessarily groggy. Why did he even bother? It wasn't like things ever changed. He only really needed to grab Roxas.

Demyx had to admit patrol was much easier with two people. Roxas wasn't in classes yet, and he only spent three or four hours a day getting tutored. Demyx and Xemnas had been hesitant to let him go off on his own, but the boy showed that even though he couldn't remember much about his past, he had been trained extensively in combat, especially with the small weapons he was permitted to carry- two vaguely key-shaped blades.

"His parents must have trained him for his own protection," Xemnas guessed. "It _does_ save us extra time."

Roxas was waiting for him at the Headmaster's door. "Hi, Demyx!" He said cheerfully. "Did you sleep well?"

Roxas loved talking, now that he had gained the ability. Still, it was obvious he didn't know as many words as he would have liked. "About as well as I can for three and a half hours."

"Oh. Me too." Roxas, being younger, was permitted to sleep longer; however, he had longer shifts, so it all worked out. "Come on, I made breakfast for you and me."

Roxas's ideal breakfast- in fact, the only thing he could really cook- consisted of slightly soggy eggs and toast. Demyx smiled tiredly. "I'm not sure if I have time this morning." After all, he had to study for that grammar quiz, review problems for Trig…

"Come on. It'll just take a minute. Please?"

Demyx sighed. "Fine."

Roxas beamed and took him inside, beyond the office into Xemnas's living area. So cute, Demyx thought. He even set the table. In some ways, Roxas really is like a puppy, just trying to please.

He sat down, and the Headmaster came into the room.

"I set a place for you, too, Headmaster!" Roxas chirped. "There's enough for everyone!"

Xemnas smiled. Roxas seemed to really make him happy, Demyx observed. It was his own fault, but Demyx didn't really do more than irritate Xemnas these days. Roxas was cuter, after all, more childish. He was still ignorant of his own heritage, unlike Demyx, to whom it had been drilled.

_You're differentdifferentdifferent_, people had told him all his life. _You're not one of us, you're not one of them._ He'd been pretty much forced to chose a side, and vampires had prevailed considering human hunters killed his parents.

Demyx didn't much remember his parent's death. He wasn't particularly sad about it- it had to do with the vampire social worker that visited him when he was young; her power was getting rid of emotional pain.

He didn't hate humans- this was just the way things turned out. He could have very well been raised by Headmaster Ansem and ended up being friends with Sora, the human dorm president.

Demyx picked at the food Roxas made him. He was hungry, and it didn't taste badly, but he didn't feel like eating.

"There's something I'd like to discuss with you later, Demyx," Xemnas said, eating his breakfast out of politeness. It was a known fact he hated eggs. "After class, just drop on by. There's an opportunity that's come up."

Demyx inwardly groaned. None of these opportunities turned out well. "Okay. I guess I've got to get to class, then."

"Was my cooking good?" Roxas asked, staring at him eagerly.

"It was great," Demyx said absently. "Thank you."

He beamed. "I'll see you for trade-off later."

* * *

Demyx was quite nearly to his first class. What did Xemnas mean by 'opportunity' this time? More often then not, boring government officials would drop by to see whether he was getting more dangerous as he got older, or was showing signs of rebellion. Which side would I join if I _did_ rebel? Demyx wondered with an internal laugh. I'm like a captive animal to them. Why would I rebel, too? I'm happy. Things are fine.

"Are you? Are you really?"

Demyx gasped aloud and turned.

It was Vanitas. He smiled. "I didn't mean to scare you," he said, trying to sound kind. It fell flat. "I just couldn't help but sense your thoughts. That's my power, you know. I sense emotions, and if they are strong enough, I can hear your thoughts."

"That's a neat power," Demyx commented. He knew Vanitas hadn't said that just to be nice. Maybe it had been a threat?

"It's come in handy, I suppose. Do you have a power?"

He had to think carefully. Demyx didn't know why he felt so paranoid, but he knew if he told Vanitas what he could do, the boy would find his weakness. Maybe he can sense what I'm thinking right now, he thought in a panic.

"Relax. I'm not listening in now." He smiled. "I was just simply curious. I'm sorry; I obviously must have frightened you. Is something on your mind?"

"No," Demyx lied. "Just a little tired, is all."

"Right. You're constantly on patrol." Vanitas took a step forward, and Demyx had to fight the instinct to step back. "I understand that you probably want to keep your power private, especially since I just told you what mine does. Unfair advantage, though I could never see us in a fight. Anyway, I've just come to offer you an opportunity."

Again with that word. Demyx's pulse nearly jumped. Is this what Xemnas was talking about?

"I'm going to be visiting my grandfather this weekend, in the capitol. He expressed an interest in meeting you, especially after I told him that I was in the same class as the legendary half-vampire." He smiled, again without warmth. Demyx wondered if others felt charmed by Vanitas's smooth-talk- that's obviously what it was. Demyx himself just felt a little dizzy. "Would you like to go?"

Demyx blinked. "I'll have to ask the Headmaster. He doesn't usually allow me to leave the campus often. Security, you know."

Vanitas smiled again. "That's why it would be fun. My grandfather's really a nice man, great sense of humor."

Demyx forced himself to grin back. "I'll see."

"Great! Now let's go, before we're late."

* * *

"He wants to bring you to the capitol?" Axel gaped.

Demyx nodded wearily and took another long drink water. A tablet was still dissolving in it. "I still don't like the way he acts. He's a… charmer. There's something wrong with him."

"Regardless, I'd go if I were you," Zexion told him. "You've never been there before, right? It would be good for you to meet the Minister."

Demyx wondered, resignedly, why he had never met him before. He had met dozens of other officials of high ranking. Maybe it just hadn't been on the Minister's mind. He had to be a busy man, overseeing peace, after all. "I'd still have to ask Xemnas." And I hope he says no, Demyx added, but he knew that was unlikely. He didn't like the idea of spending a day with Vanitas. "I don't know. It just seems that ever since he's been around, things have been getting weird. For example, Xion Kisaragi was bitten, and there have been more fights… more attempts at human lives, even though they all seem half-hearted and the fights were easy to break up."

"But even before we knew he was coming, things were getting that way," Zexion rationalized. "It goes in cycles, you know that, Demyx."

He picked at his doria. "Whatever, guys."

Axel stretched. "Can we talk about something more interesting now?"

* * *

When classes were over, Demyx obediently went to Xemnas's office to trade off shifts with Roxas and to discuss the events that had just sprung up.

He'd run into Xion on the way. As a new vampire, she was doing very well. The Change was now obvious in her- there was a new kind of solidness in her, a new type of confidence. She no longer seemed as wispy or airy as she had when he'd last spoken to her. She nearly looked like a different person- her facial features had changed almost significantly, taking on that vampire beauty. Her hair had started to grow out as well, thicker and closer to blue-black than what she had before.

The conversation had tired him. She'd talked for nearly fifteen minutes. Apparently, the Change had given once-introverted Xion many social skills. But that was all part of the instinct for vampires to attract prey, he guessed.

He opened the door and walk in. "Headmaster, I'm here!" He called. He'd learnt that it was always best to give Xemnas warning, especially since the headmaster needed time to hide the romance novels he was reading.

Roxas, instead, peeped his head inside. "Nope, it's just me," he said cheerily. "Headmaster had to go discuss something with Ansem the Wise."

That was a nickname that had been given to the human headmaster a while ago. Demyx furrowed his eyebrows. "What about?"

Roxas shrugged. "I don't know. Would you like a snack? I was just getting one."

Demyx smiled. "Every time I see you, you're eating," he commented.

"That's because you arrive at my breakfast and snack times." He beamed. He offered Demyx a cookie. "Deputy Headmaster made them. They're good."

Demyx hesitated. Saïx loved baking; that was a fact. While the two tolerated each other, and nothing more, Demyx knew the Deputy would never harm Roxas, so he wouldn't poison the cookies. He chuckled at his own paranoia and took a big bite.

It _was_ good. Demyx took a few more.

"Sorry I'm so late," Xemnas said, his voice noticeably exhausted.

The boys looked up simultaneously; Roxas had crumbs all over his face. Demyx hurried brushed them off.

"What's wrong, Headmaster?"

"There's been more of them in the area," he told them, thumping his briefcase down and sprawling over a chair. "More of the… Untouchables, I mean."

Demyx blinked. "Like, more of them being _made_, or more of them coming in?"

"Coming in."

"I wonder why?"

"That's what we were trying to figure out. I'm going to need to send someone out there to fix it."

"I hope you're not thinking _us_."

Xemnas hesitated. "There's no way I would send you boys out there. You're too inexperienced when it comes to combat with a real, ruthless, monster like an Untouchable. But this _does_ have to do with something I wanted to talk to you about."

Demyx looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"This school has hunters at its disposal, Demyx, so naturally we'll be sending one of them to deal with it, maybe a few. I was thinking… now that you're seventeen…"

Roxas scooted from Demyx's hand, which was frozen next to his face with a napkin in it. He stuck his tongue out.

"What about my age?" A conclusion was on the horizon.

"I was thinking… maybe it would be best if you were to go with them."

The shock was obvious. "No. Oh, no. You just said you weren't going to send us!"

"This is something you need to see," Xemnas told him slowly. "And I don't mean him. You can more than handle yourself, and they'll protect you. Purebloods must not be allowed to bite humans, Demyx. They become monsters, if they're not handled right. See, vampires… we're not just misunderstood. There used to be a point when there were so many Untouchables that there was absolute bloodshed- they killed humans without mercy. And so the myths arose."

Demyx swallowed. "I know vampires aren't all good. Hello, I do this every day."

"There's a strong difference between a bunch of restless aristocrats and a true inhuman vampire."

He sighed, and leaned back. Roxas was watching this all with interest.

"I guess this is the wrong time to tell you that Vanitas asked me to accompany him to the capitol, then?"

* * *

Note: Doria is a type of Japanese casserole.

Sorry for the long delay. I haven't been much inspired when it comes to this story lately. But I needed something to do today- so I decided to sit down and write it. I hope you like it, even though it was very wordy. XD

I'm not going to promise to update, but hopefully it won't be another quarter of a year. Stay cool, have a good summer! Also, please check out my poll! ^-^

Thank you _**luckless-is-me**_, _**Demon Redeemed,**_ and Anna for reviewing last chapter.


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